‘The Penguin Lessons,’ starring a teacher’s pet, has feel-good movie moments down cold

As Tom (Steve Coogan), an English teacher, arrives at St. George’s College in Buenos Aires just before the 1976 military coup, he maintains a stoic demeanor and a touch of cynicism. He seems focused on keeping a low profile and avoiding trouble rather than engaging with his students or the turbulent political climate. Even friendship appears to be of little concern to him. During a bus trip to Uruguay to escape the coup, Tom’s straightforward Finnish colleague Tapio (Björn Gustafsson) expresses that he likes Tom, to which Tom responds skeptically, “You do? I don’t.